Ingredients
2 tablespoons baking yeast
1 teaspoon honey
½ cup water, warm
8½ cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons anise seed
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk, warm
2 cups water (approximately), warm
Corn meal
Method
Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl and allow to sit 2 to 3 minutes till yeast dissolves. Stir and set aside on counter in a warm place and allow to rise till mixture is bubbly and doubles in volume. In the meantime, mix the next 4 ingredients together in a mixing bowl and heat milk to lukewarm. Make a crater in the middle of the flour and pour in the risen, bubbly yeast mixture and the warm milk, mix in.
Add the warm water a little at a time to form a stiff dough (you may need a little more or less than 2 cups of water depending on variety of whole wheat flour used, humidity, etc.) Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 to 15 minutes. The dough should be so stiff that it needs to be kneaded with fists.
Divide dough into quarters and roll each piece into a ball. Allow to sit on floured surface about 5 minutes. In the meantime, sprinkle 2 cookie sheets with corn meal. Form each ball of dough into a large cone shape. Place 2 cones on each cookie sheet and flatten each into round loaves that are slightly raised in the centers, about 6″ in diameter.
Cover loaves with plastic wrap and allow to rise about 2 hours in a warm place. Preheat oven to 400 F degrees. Just before baking, gently prick bread around the sides in 4 places and bake at 400 F degrees for 12 minutes. Turn heat down to 300 F degrees and bake another 30 to 40 minutes till bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove from oven and allow to cool.